Edward had walked up to the door of a small home near the military place. He opened the door witch surprisingly was unlocked, he peered in. It looked like it hadn't been taken care of in weeks, there where clothes all over the floor and even a few wine bottles. As much as he didn't want to, he walked in. "Colonel?" He called out before entering the bedroom. It was filthy, Ed walked out and over to the kitchen. There, sitting at the table, was colonel mustang. There was a small photograph of his first lieutenant Hawkeye grasped in his hands. He was facing away from him, his hair was a complete mess, his clothes where stained and he was breathing heavy, shaky breaths.
The young alchemist walked beside him, "colonel...y-you haven't come out in weeks...everyone is worried, they need you to do your job" he said in a soft and scared tone, as if scared his superior would burn him to a crisp if he hadn't picked his words carefully. "Go away Ed." The flame alchemist responded "You can't stay here and keep grieving like this, I-it's not healthy.." he said. "Who said I'm not aloud to grieve for my best and most loyal lieutenant?" He growled, his head still low "leave me alone fullmetal" he added.
As much as Edward disliked the colonel, it still pained him to see him so broken. "We all miss her! Not just you!" The young alchemist snapped. "But you can't just sit here and do nothing, what about becoming the fuhrer?!". "She died because of me fullmetal...she died saving me because I was stupid enough to forget that I was useless in the rain, why should someone as pathetic, stupid and useless as me become fuhrer? It should've been me, not her!" The colonel suddenly snapped back, those sudden words caught the young alchemist off guard. This, coming from the legendary hero of ishval? The strong and arrogant flame alchemist?
Of course, one part of him understood. It was no secret that they loved each other, they where both very loyal to one another. He couldn't stand the fact of losing Winry or his brother. Though, the flame alchemist had always been one to not let things take him down like that. His goal of becoming fuhrer had made him take his job very seriously, there was no way that he'd let himself stay home when he had a chance of getting promoted and getting closer to his goal. So maybe they where closer than he thought. It must've been painful, losing the two closest people in his life. First his best friend and now his lieutenant.
The young alchemist felt a tinge of sympathy for his superior, they didn't like each other but they had alot in common. The flame alchemist was slowly fading, dying, drowning into a deep nothingness. It didn't look like it, but it was true, it was happening, on the inside..right in front of the young alchemist.
"Why are you of all people here anyway?" The flame alchemist had asked, breaking ed out of his thoughts. "They thought I'd be the best to get through to you" "that's...stupid" he said, feeling tears sting in the corners of his eyes. "Colonel please..." Get lost ed". "No" "I command you to go away" the colonel ordered, his voice cracking slightly. "I'm not going anywhere".
Before the colonel could protest any further, the young alchemist locked him in a tight hug. Normally ed wasn't so good with physical comport, he didn't expect to do it to the colonel of all people. But what else could he do? say? His superior was in pain, ed could not just let him continue this way. "Let go of me fullmetal..." he croaked, his voice was weak and shaky, he felt his tears finally fall. "I...don't deserve your comfort..." His tone was shaky and barely above a whisper.
"I'm fine"